Keep in mind that the Express Tools were not supported in AutoCAD 2005 and 2006. That means that if you try to use SYSVDLG in these releases, it won’t recognize and record any system variables introduced in these two releases. To make sure you have a record of all your system variable settings in case you need to restore them, list all the variable settings. Do this by typing Setvar at the command prompt. When prompted to enter a variable or [?], enter ? (question mark). At the next prompt, Enter variables to list <*>, press Enter for the default *. AutoCAD opens a text window to display the variables. Copy and paste them into a Microsoft Word document (you can also paste into a text editor like Notepad, but then you can’t do the cool thing we’re going to do next).

Caption: AutoCAD system variables list displayed in command-line text window. Note that the list is so long that you have to press Enter and copy multiple times to capture it all.

In Word, do a Replace (in the Edit menu) to replace ^W (all white spaces) with a single space (spacebar). Now save the file as plain text with the extension SCR. You now have a script file that will restore all your system variable settings. Remember that in script files, a space is the same as Enter.

If you tend to change variables to perform different tasks, you can create script files to quickly change the settings back and forth. Here’s an example of a short script designed to change grip settings in AutoCAD 2005.

GRIPBLOCK 0
GRIPCOLOR 5
GRIPHOT 1
GRIPHOVER 3
GRIPOBJLIMIT 100
GRIPS 1
GRIPSIZE 7
GRIPTIPS 1

Note that you may need to update such scripts when you upgrade AutoCAD in the event that system variables change.

In AutoCAD 2006, the option to Select All objects on screen as cutting or boundary edges was added to the Trim and Extend commands. That option is available in previous releases, also—just press Enter at the Select Object prompt to select all objects on screen.

Use the system variable BINDTYPE to specify the method AutoCAD uses to bind xrefs. The default setting (0) creates layers that follow the traditional format - that is, preserving unique named object names. Xref layer names are converted from xrefname|layername to xrefname$0$layername. Change the system variable to 1 for Insert-like behavior, where xref layer names re converted from xrefname|layername to layername. AutoCAD adds layers that don't yet to the parent drawing. If a layer already exists in the parent drawing, AutoCAD puts the xref objects on the existing layer.

To print a list of all layers in an AutoCAD drawing, you have two options. The first is to start the command-line version of the Layer command by typing –Layer (Layer preceded by a hyphen) at the command line. Enter ? at the first prompt to query all layers in the file. Enter * to list all layers at the command line. Highlight the list of layers within the command line window and copy them using the Ctrl-C key combination.

Caption: Layer list in the command line text window.

The alternative is to open the Layer Properties Manager dialog box (Layer in the Tools menu). Right-click and select all layers in the dialog box. Use the Ctrl-C key combination to copy all layers.

Caption: Layer list in the Layer Properties list.

Here’s a little trick for quickly switching between named views in a drawing. Instead of using the View command, display the View toolbar and dock it on your desktop.

Caption: The View toolbar with Named View pull-down list at the end.

The Clipit Express Tool clips xrefs or images with lines and curves. You can use arcs, circles, and polylines to define clipping boundaries for blocks, xrefs, images, and wipeouts. Start the command by typing Clipit at the command prompt or selecting it from the Express Tools menu.

Caption: Clipit prompts.

AutoCAD prompts you to select the object to use as a clipping edge. You can select a polyline, circle, arc, ellipse, or text. Next, select the image, wipeout, or xref/block to clip. Finally, you are prompted to enter the max error distance for resolution of arcs.

Caption: Clipit lets you clip to a curved path such as a circle.

Clipit traverses arc segments with a series of short straight segments to create curved clipping paths. Clipit lets you to control the precision with which it traverses arc segments by allowing you to specify the maximum distance between the midpoint of any given segment and the arc.